George A. Spater
Encyclopedia
George Alexander Spater was chairman of American Airlines
from 1968 to 1973.
, graduated from the University of Michigan
in 1930 with an A.B. degree magna cum laude. He was associated with the Michigan Daily
there. He earned a law degree from University of Michigan Law School
in 1933.
In 1935 he was admitted to the bar. He spent most of his law career working in aviation advising in particular Eastern Airlines and Transcontinental Air Transport
(forerunner of TWA). He worked at Chadbourne, Parke, Whiteside and Wolff
in New York and was a partner there in 1942–1958.
Spater got caught in the investigations into the Watergate scandal
and had to resign from American and was disbarred over illegal $55,000 contribution to the Committee for the Re-Election of the President -- although Spater was never charged or prosecuted. Spater's problems were traced to a meeting with Herbert Kalmbach at the 21 Club
in which he was told that anybody contributing $100,000 to CREP would be treated as a "special class." While deciding what to do Spater subsequently said that Smith sent him four checks for $5,000 made out to "cash" with a note saying he might need the extra cash. He then gave the $20,000 to CREP in $100 bills (which was legal since it involved personal accounts). Still short of the $100,000 quota, he then authorized a $55,000 off the books transaction involving a safe at American Airlines headquarters in New York. When a lawsuit by Common Cause
revealed the contribution, he was sacked by the American board and Smith returned as interim CEO.
and Virginia Woolf
. He died in White River Junction, Vermont
.
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
from 1968 to 1973.
Early life
He was born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, graduated from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1930 with an A.B. degree magna cum laude. He was associated with the Michigan Daily
Michigan Daily
The Michigan Daily is the daily student newspaper of the University of Michigan. Its first edition was published on September 29, 1890. The newspaper is financially and editorially independent of the University's administration and other student groups, but shares a university building with other...
there. He earned a law degree from University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
in 1933.
In 1935 he was admitted to the bar. He spent most of his law career working in aviation advising in particular Eastern Airlines and Transcontinental Air Transport
Transcontinental Air Transport
Transcontinental Air Transport was an airline founded in 1928 by Clement Melville Keys that merged in 1930 with Western Air Express to form what became TWA....
(forerunner of TWA). He worked at Chadbourne, Parke, Whiteside and Wolff
Chadbourne & Parke
Chadbourne & Parke LLP, founded in 1902 by Thomas L. Chadbourne, currently has some 400 lawyers and tax advisors in 13 offices in ten countries...
in New York and was a partner there in 1942–1958.
American Airlines
He left Chadbourne in 1959 to join American Airlines as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. He was elected Vice Chairman in 1967 and President and Chief Executive in 1968 succeeding company founder C.R. Smith.Spater got caught in the investigations into the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
and had to resign from American and was disbarred over illegal $55,000 contribution to the Committee for the Re-Election of the President -- although Spater was never charged or prosecuted. Spater's problems were traced to a meeting with Herbert Kalmbach at the 21 Club
21 Club
The 21 Club, often simply 21, is a restaurant and former prohibition-era speakeasy, located at 21 West 52nd Street in New York City.-Environment:...
in which he was told that anybody contributing $100,000 to CREP would be treated as a "special class." While deciding what to do Spater subsequently said that Smith sent him four checks for $5,000 made out to "cash" with a note saying he might need the extra cash. He then gave the $20,000 to CREP in $100 bills (which was legal since it involved personal accounts). Still short of the $100,000 quota, he then authorized a $55,000 off the books transaction involving a safe at American Airlines headquarters in New York. When a lawsuit by Common Cause
Common Cause
Common Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and...
revealed the contribution, he was sacked by the American board and Smith returned as interim CEO.
Author
After being sacked and disbarred he moved to England where he wrote biographies about William CobbettWilliam Cobbett
William Cobbett was an English pamphleteer, farmer and journalist, who was born in Farnham, Surrey. He believed that reforming Parliament and abolishing the rotten boroughs would help to end the poverty of farm labourers, and he attacked the borough-mongers, sinecurists and "tax-eaters" relentlessly...
and Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf
Adeline Virginia Woolf was an English author, essayist, publisher, and writer of short stories, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century....
. He died in White River Junction, Vermont
White River Junction, Vermont
White River Junction is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Hartford in Windsor County, Vermont, United States...
.
- A marriage of true minds : an intimate portrait of Leonard and Virginia Woolf
- William Cobbett: Poor Man's Friend